A plan to hire a school resource officer for the Putnam school district took another step forward this week after selectmen agreed to add funding for the position into the proposed 2013-14 budget.

Selectmen on Monday voted to put $28,637 toward a full-time school resource officer, one-third of the cost for the $85,912 position. The Board of Education earlier this month set aside a similar amount for the job. The last funding piece is expected to come from the Special Services District.

The push for the district police officer largely stems from the Dec. 14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Town Administrator Doug Cutler said. Police Chief Rick Hayes for years attempted to obtain funding for the position, without results.

“That incident made us revisit the issue,” Cutler said.

Putnam Police Department Deputy Chief Lee Konicki said the role of a school resource officer is more than standing by doors with a weapon.

“It’s all about building relationships with students, with parents and with staff,” he said. “It’s a way to open the lines of communication.”

“They’re also there to deal with routine school-related issues,” he said. “That helps out the guys on the road.”

If approved, the position will be offered first to interested members of the Putnam police department. If one is chosen, another officer will have to be hired to fill the vacancy, Konicki said.

The final selection of a school resource officer will be made with input from school officials.

Hayes has said previously that funding for the school officer will likely mean an increase to the property tax rate. He plans to hold a community forum in the coming weeks to gauge public opinion on the issue. Tanesha Oates, a Putnam parent, said she supports any plan to put a police officer in the schools.

“I’d be willing to see my taxes go up for that,” she said. “I have a daughter in elementary school and a son in the middle school and I do worry more ever since Sandy Hook.”